Transmission Fluid change 98 V70

[jblackburn]

That's a good idea indeed! Or at least I'd like to think so, because that's exactly the procedure I did after I burned my fluid after a track day.

[KlubMarcus]

The O'Reilly brand Dexron VI is working fine after a few days and almost 200 miles of driving. Seems to be smoother shifts at low rpm's, but that could just be my imagination or just because there's new fluid in the mix. The old MaxLife ATF is compatible with Dexron VI according to Valvoline's website.

[erikv11]

I was wondering about Dex VI. Thanks for posting, keep us updated.

[KlubMarcus]

I was wondering about Dex VI. Thanks for posting, keep us updated.

Been running Dexron VI for two weeks now. No noticeable change in automatic transmission performance besides being smoother at low rpm's. Again, I think it's just because there's new fluid in there. Going to do another drain and fill to get more old fluid out and get a higher percentage of new Dexron VI in.

If you have several cars requiring different Dexron specs for the tranny and power steering, then you won't have to buy/stock different containers in your garage because the Dexron VI spec is backward compatible.

[menotq]

Wow thanks for all posts. Wish I found this board months ago. I recently purchased a 98 v70xc from a man pretending to be a honest human being who said he believed in karma and guaranteed me the car had been meticulously cared for! Yeah right! I don't know what I did to deserve the betrayal. C"est La Vie? Anyways this car has been a mechanical nightmare. It has 190,000 miles & now that I sunk 2 grand into the engine trying to pass emissions [ck.eng.light still on] my transmission is slipping. My volvo mechanic sent me to transmission place & suggested I have it flushed. Two different tranny places told me by the time you hear noise the damage is to far gone & it may do even more damage flushing????? I am looking for clarification on someones thinking. I went back to Volvo mechanic & he said "well, you heard it from the experts" & just rolled his eyes, he would not commit himself one way or the other. Worse slipping happens between 50 & 60 mph.also some mild lugging, rpms usually around 3, when slipping or lugging happens; I presume in automatics [not use to them] this is considered overdrive or 5th gear? I see by some posts that instead of flushing all the fluid the preferred method is alittle by little? What is the reasoning behind this? Any guidance, direction or plain straight facts even if I don't want to hear them would be most appreciated. Best to all. deb

[byeboy]

Well, I'm doing my 97 850R one drain & fill at a time..at least that was my original plan...but the drained fluid looked and smelled so bad (looked like burnt coffee) that I drove it just about 50-75 miles, then did another drain & fill (using Wal Mart Dex III)...fluid looks much better now, but still not pure red...but I will wait a few hundred more miles (maybe 1,000) before I do one more drain and fill.. Too much, too soon has always been the death knoll for automatic transmissions...or so the story goes. I lost my beloved Honda Accord by getting the transmission oil "too clean-too quick" ( I did some serial drain and fills, after having transmission started slipping...bad, sold the car "as-is" for $500.00 (sniff, sniff)done one drain & fill per oil change for about a year (1 quart in the Honda!).

So every mechanic (real mechanics, not the guys at the parts counter of the discount parts store) will advise NOT to change the fluid in an old transmission..and NEVER have one power flushed...just ask, and that's the advice you get...

...but my Volvo has the ASIN Transmission (same make as Toyota), which is considered very strong (much more durable than the Hondas'), so I went with the advice of the many other forum members who have successfully change out their fluid..but I am "tippy-toe-ing" into it with well-spaced drain and fills.

However, if you are already slipping, I guess its too late for this to do you any good...but I confess total ignorance on these transmissions...I hope its able to be saved...others will no doubt set the facts straight.

I will offer that the man who sold you the car may have been totally honest, and "its time just came"...I am always anxious that a car I just sold someone will develop problems I never had...it happens!
$2,00.00 chasing the CEL! were you going to the dealer, by any chance? ( I advise friends to avoid them for non-warranty work). This forum would have served you better, by comparing your situation with the exact same ones others have had and found cures for. I also have suggested to some folks that, if they are not able to do their own repairs and maintenance, whether for reasons of time or ability, to buy a low mileage Toyota or Honda, not a Volvo...I would advise them the same for a number of other marques that are better suited to enthusiasts than daily transportation duties.

[menotq]

Thanks byeboy, i bought off craigslist, one owner. knew family. Meticulously cared for. huh
I was going thru a patch of bad time, desperately needed a car [chemo, etc. & did not have energy for shopping}I [he said his dad had cancer & was very sympathetic blah blah blah,his daughter was 13yrs. old & he believes in karma, would never sell bad car,etc.etc. believe me when i say I'll be the first one to always give people the benefit of doubt. It's my fault for just "wanting" to trust him, when i had energy enough to bring the car to garage, the engine was literally hanging in there by the frame, i think one motor mount was working, he told me he had put a new battery in [which i had to replace 2 days later,dead cells ] & that was the only reason the eng. light was on, [funny, not] said he had just reset it so it'd take a few days for it to go out. When he delivered it, I asked him again if there was anything he was aware of that needing fixing, I always plan to spend up to a grand on a used car immed. he reiterated how tip top shape the car was in. Car was in bad shape [detailed clean though] every time you get out the seat falls flat back, you have to open drivers window to access outside door handle to exit, air cond. needed a lot of work,said "it was frosty, works great] cd player didn't work, which he said was fine,back hatch doesn't stay up, go over a bump & headlight falls out, no emergency brake, etc,etc. and those are just the pesky things. Sad to say, he knew exactly what he was doing. rat-fink bum! After a little investigating i found out his cousin has a small garage, access to drl. plates purchased off Volvo drl.probably whsl. for 500 bucks. He drove it 10,000 miles before selling to me, so he must of known at the very least about the body stuff cd. player,seat,door latch etc.!
I had previously owned 91 240d wagon over 300k, wonderful car, couldn't kill it, well almost- in my own driveway going about 7 miles an hr.,hit patch of snow in April no less, ran over a tree stump & pushed sway? bar ctr. of axle out of it's socket,[no way to fix] could of cried, loved that car. Definitely now realize I was trying to comparing apples with potatoes. I should have been more in-tuned with my gut. I'm 60, never to old to continue learning, or remind your memory that the 50s are gone.
I think i'll try to drain a little at a time as suggested. At this point I have almost nothing to lose. I have at least 3,500 into this car now & it still needs cooler lines. The estimate[400$] which seemed a bit steep for a couple of lines? Considering mileage, having better knowledge that the car was not regularly maintained, probably should cut my looses now, hard to say though? Fluid smells burnt, if i could get 2 yrs. from tranny might even consider dumping another grand into it??? If you have taken the time to read this rant, thanks for allowing me to vent. Best to all.

[KlubMarcus]

My car just hit 125,000 miles.

Just hit 125,000 miles, low mileage for a 1998 V70 XC!

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I am following the advice of MVS members and doing a follow-up because there's still old fluid in the torque converter and cooling lines that hasn't come out. Last ATF drain and fill was done on the 31st of Jul this year. The magnetic drain plug was a lot cleaner this time around, only wiped off a thin film of fluid versus the sticky gunk from last time.

Added Lucas ATF Conditioner in with the Dexron VI.

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I put in a container of this stuff based on web reviews and my local Volvo mechanic uses it. Now my transmission is filled with O'Reilly brand Dexron VI, Lucas ATF Conditioner, and leftover Valvoline MaxLife ATF. I said that a drain and fill with Dexron VI made little difference, well that was not the case with Lucas. It really does smooth the shifts! I can barely feel the change from 1st-2nd gear, which had a slight thump before. I've been driving it for a day and I love it. I didn't have any AT leaks so I can't testify about it's stop-leak ability.

On a side note, I only seem to drain/fill 3 quarts worth of ATF. I read that it's normally 3.5 quarts out of a total 8 quarts. Maybe it's the incline of my ramps. I measured on level ground and it's above the Cold mark after filling and below the Hot mark after driving.

[PAPASAL]

So, here we go.
I purchased a used 1998 S70 GLT. 228k miles, Within 2 days it started to not drive anywhere. I came to this forum and looked at ALL KINDS OF RESEARCH!
Replaced the Driver side axle. it drove.Wouldnt go into gear the next day.
Did the Position 2 15-20 gearstick toggles.
Replaced the PNP.
Slow on low gear, but got her up to 90 on the interstate.
Woke up to go to emissions office for P0455, replaced the Purge Valve, previously.
The car wouldnt budge. Rechecked axle, twas snug.
Was told to check the fluid. The yellow dipstick was sticking out a bit. (Went to press into tube, felt like it was just tapping the top of tranny.)
Using 1/4 of a quart into the funnel, it would not go into the trans, as if it were blocked.

Have followed here in regards to ABS unit and Vic Rojka (forgive spelling), have found TPS switch, and I will gladly look into those. But if someone could tell me why fluid isn't going into the tranny would be great.